Strategic Plan August 2020 Consultation Draft
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KIMBERLEY LANGUAGE RESOURCE CENTRE Keeping language strong for more than 35 years Strategic Plan August 2020 Consultation Draft KLRC Strategic Plan – 2020 Consultation Draft © 2018 Kimberley Language Resource Centre Copyright and ownership of cultural knowledge, ethno-biological and ethno-ecological knowledge, that appears in this document remains the property of the KLRC and the specific sources and custodians of that knowledge as individually recognised. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of the text may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Kimberley Language Resource Centre. The images, artwork and quotes contained in this Plan are the copyright of the photographers, artists and authors and may not be reproduced in any form without their permission. Requests and inquiries concerning any aspects of this plan or reproduction of any content should be addressed to: Kimberley Language Resource Centre ABN: 43 634 659 269 ICN: 422 Administration – Halls Creek 12 Terone Street PMB 11 HALLS CREEK WA 6770 Phone: (08) 9168 6005 Acknowledgements: The process utilised to prepare this plan was facilitated by Petrine McCrohan of Bridging the Landscapes. Completion of the plan was prepared under the direction and guidance of the KLRC Directors Participants at the initial plan review workshop included: Ngalu (Patsy) Bedford (Chairperson) Jean Malay Tom Birch George Jubbadah Annie Milgin John Watson Edited August 2020 Siobhan Casson, Research Training and Development Officer KLRC Strategic Plan – 2020 Consultation Draft Contents Executive summary .................................................................................................. 1 The Kimberley Language Resource Centre ............................................................... 3 Introduction to this plan ........................................................................................... 4 How this plan was made .......................................................................................... 6 1. Our vision .......................................................................................................... 8 2. Our stakeholders ............................................................................................... 9 3. Our knowledge base and experience ................................................................ 12 4. Our values ......................................................................................................... 15 5. Issues affecting our work .................................................................................. 16 6. Strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats .................................. 18 7. Development priorities ..................................................................................... 19 8. Objectives ......................................................................................................... 22 9. Action Plan ....................................................................................................... 23 10. Making it happen ............................................................................................. 27 KLRC Strategic Plan – 2020 Consultation Draft Executive summary The Kimberley Language Resource Centre (KLRC) is the peak regional languages organisation in the Kimberley region oF Western Australia. Established in 1985 as an independent, community-based Aboriginal organisation, the KLRC supports Kimberley Aboriginal people to continue using their languages. The KLRC provides skills workshops and project advice for language groups across the region. It has community support from many language groups and engages with a signiFicant number of stakeholders locally, regionally and nationally. In July 2018, the KLRC reviewed its Strategic Plan. This review found that the operating environment for the organisation is changing. Over the decades the strategic aims of the organisation have moved from a focus on documentation projects to a variety of activities that reflect the diversity of the language groups across the Kimberley and the health or status of language continuation in that language community. The KLRC must evolve in response to the changing funding environment For non-government organisations. In the past, KLRC has been heavily dependent on public funding. Over time, securing core funding has become increasingly challenging and there is a need to look at a diversity oF income sources to support its activities. This includes sourcing funds from grants, philanthropic sources and fee-for-service activities. Insecurity and the increased eFFort required to secure funds has a destabilising efFect on the organisation and its activities at a time when many Kimberley Aboriginal languages are critically endangered. This plan is the result of the 2018 review and the involvement and insight of KLRC Directors. The plan sets out the vision, operating environment and future direction for the KLRC to help it achieve greater security and in turn deliver its vital services to prevent additional language extinction and support those still spoken. The benefits of strong languages flow over into personal and community well-being. This new strategic plan Focusses on four development priorities for KLRC. These will be pursued by the KLRC through a revitalised governance approach and a more dynamic planning system to better deliver its services and products. Exciting and contemporary approaches to language protection and focused collaborations will enable us to ‘Keep language strong’ in the Kimberley. 1 2 The Kimberley Language Resource Centre The Kimberley Language Resource Centre (KLRC) is the region’s peak languages organisation. It was the First regional Aboriginal languages centre in Australia, established in 1984 Broome and incorporated in September 1985 in Halls Creek. Its establishment was an outcome oF the Kimberley Language Support Program report Keeping Language Strong. This captured concerns about the efFects oF colonisation and impact oF Western society on spoken languages and cultural knowledge. These concerns continue 35 years later. The KLRC is governed by a Board oF 12 Directors, accountable to a membership From across the Kimberley region. The office is based in Halls Creek. A Manager, appointed by the Board oF Directors, has overall responsibility for operational matters. Since its incorporation, the organisation has effectively delivered programs and services and worked with language groups in regional and remote communities in the Kimberley region to revive and maintain Aboriginal languages and to advocate for these languages. The purpose of the organisation is to support Kimberley Aboriginal people to continue using their unique oral languages. It has maintained Flexibility in its operations by responding to the changing needs of language groups and of society. Over the decades the strategic aims of the organisation have moved from a focus on individual documentation projects to a variety oF activities reflecting the diversity of Kimberley language groups. KLRC responds individually to the health or status of language in a community. In recent years it has responded to growing calls to revive and maintain language on country as well as to skill language groups to design and manage their own projects. The Kimberley was, and still is, the most linguistically diverse area in Australia with at least 42 language groups prior to colonisation (see map) plus additional dialects. The KLRC Directors advocate for around 30 still spoken or spoken in living memory. The organisation acknowledges that a few language groups have set up their own organisations and self-determine the work on their languages. Never-the-less, the KLRC will continue to advocate for the survival of all Kimberley languages. 3 Kimberley Language Resource Centre Objectives The objectives of the KLRC as in our Rule Book are: 1. To provide a Forum through which Aboriginal people in the Kimberley can make decisions about language policy; 2. To make books, and tapes (audio & video) about Kimberley Aboriginal language and culture and maintain copies of these as resource for Aborigines and those working among Aborigines; 3. To help Aboriginal people to work on their own language and provide Formal training in language work; 4. To give advice and assistance to those desiring to teach Aboriginal languages; 5. To co-ordinate research work relating to Aboriginal language and culture in the Kimberley; 6. To Facilitate services such as interpreter/translator services which relate to the needs and aspirations oF Kimberley Aboriginal people; 7. To provide and maintain office, library, and other facilities and equipment for the purpose of setting up and carrying on the programs of the Centre; 8. To receive, hold and spend grants oF money From the Government oF the State and/or Commonwealth; and 9. To provide relieF From poverty, sickness sufFering, destitution, misFortune, distress and helplessness to all Aborigines in the Kimberley district of Western Australia, but without limiting the generality of the above. 4 Introduction to this plan “When we were kids, about 11 years of age, us young fellas would sneak out from the mission at Oombulgarri in the dead of night there at Forrest River and run for a couple of miles to where our old people were having corroborree and telling stories in language. We did that every night until the brothers (at the mission) found out and they punished us and told us never to do that